


Flowers in the window

by defiersofthestars



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, Post-Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Soft Ben Solo, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:29:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23926930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/defiersofthestars/pseuds/defiersofthestars
Summary: Ben Solo saw her while placing a new desk by the window. She places pots of bright colors on the windowsill, whispering something under her breath and smiling. It seems he saw the same ones in IKEA while choosing a desk.The girl tucks a brown lock behind her ear, rises her head, and meets his gaze. A bright smile is still there on her lips. Ben's heart skips a beat: she is very beautiful. And now would think he’s following her!
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 16
Kudos: 87
Collections: REYLO WEEK 2020





	Flowers in the window

**Author's Note:**

> I just saw a new IKEA TV ad about the neighbors who fell in love after seeing each other through the windows, so here we go.

Ben Solo notices her while placing his new desk by a window. The quarantine has made serious changes in his life, but the one pleasant thing is that now during phone meetings he could see the park instead of a gray office wall.

Two apartment houses stood close to each other, so he can catch a glimpse of what happens by windows across from him. She places pots of bright colors on a windowsill, whispering something under her breath and smiling. Seems like he saw the same ones in IKEA while choosing a desk.

The girl tucks a brown lock behind her ear, rises her head, and meets his gaze. A bright smile is still there on her lips. Ben's heart skips a beat: she is very beautiful. And now she would think he’s watching her!

Even when Hux told Ben that he would be promoted to Senior Adviser in the First Order financial empire by the end of the year (' _a short road to the position at Snoke’s headquarters!'_ ) he worked up the nerve and responded seriously, with a deep sense of responsibility. And now he cannot remember why he’s ever staying at home in the middle of the week.

Finally, a thought glimmers in his head: _don’t stand there as if being dazzled_ (although this is exactly how he feels). That is what would scare her off for sure. Raising his hand slowly, Ben waves at her. The girl waves in response. He wonders what’s her name.

During this enforced self-isolation, he spends the whole days at his desk (putting on a shirt instead of his home clothes out of habit). He sends emails, checks out reports, and gives orders to his subordinates in a flinty tone. In his free time, he paints in ink – the flying outlines of clouds from the depths of his memory; the contours of the houses outside the window; flowers on the windowsill not so far away that help him think. He often sees their owner who passes by them with a cup, a book, or a phone in an outstretched hand. Sometimes he catches her gaze and cannot help but smiles in response, but immediately controls himself.

 _Stop dreaming about all this nonsense._ Until now, once he would be attracted to a girl, it usually turned out that

1) She’s with somebody;  
2) Ben's family and career prospects are far more important than him as a person.

But now, for some reason, it seems the stranger across from him is special. And his mind that always obeys to facts and the steel laws of financial business finally gives way to his heart.

A few days later, they start waving at each other in the mornings, when Ben sits down at the desk and she waters the flowers. It becomes a special ritual. Then he decides to speak to her. He takes a radio-controlled spaceship bought for his godchildren Finn and Poe just before the epidemic and writes a note in a neat handwriting. A simple one and (he hopes) with no hints. God, and what is he worried about?

_‘Your flowers are beautiful._   
_Ben’_

That will do for a greeting. He catches her eye and points to the quadcopter with a gloved hand. The girl raises her eyebrows with curiosity but nods and opens her window. After gently removing a note from the ship, she laughs. Ben gets a reply (her handwriting isn’t very legible, but he doesn’t care).

_‘It’s nice to know such young business men fond of Space Wars take their time to look at my flowers. Rey ☺.’_

This is really a ship from the movies Finn and Poe are crazy about (and Ben is a bit too, even though he doesn’t admit it). Among his acquaintances he still didn’t come across a girl who would know anything about them besides the title. He lets Rey know he's impressed.

One day, she stands at the window wearing a mask and gloves. She waves her hands, attracting his attention and depicting a flight. Ben laughs and goes after the quadcopter. It returns to him with a packet, in which lies a piece of fragrant apple tart. A note is attached: _‘A perk of self-isolation: to learn more than one way to eat apples.’_ This is the most delicious thing he has ever tasted (mind you, as a boy, he used to spend summer holidays with his grandmother Padme, who knows no equals in baking).

He sends her the drawing he’s been working on in recent days: her profile surrounded by winding stems of flowers.

_'Another perk: to know that I can draw portraits.'_

She looks from him to the drawing and freezes. Ben nervously clings his fingers behind his back: is he too in a hurry? But Rey shakes her head, smiling and joining her palms in the heart shape in gratitude – naturally and without grimacing. After a moment, her face changes and turns pink; she does a thumbs-up instead. Ben's heart does a backflip, but he responds with a graceful bow. Why does he feel so much calmer and lighter at the sight of her than in the company of old acquaintances?

They exchange phone numbers. His voice is low and pleasant. Hers is singing and with a sweet accent. She complains she can no longer walk in the park and distract from thoughts about her work in the press office of the transport company. Now she takes comfort from the plants, cooking experiments, and long-forgotten books – the novels by Austen and Brontë and science fiction. Ben admits that every morning he runs around his apartment instead of the street until the full Fall Out Boy or Muse album plays till the end. This is the only way he can endure Hux's arrogant taunts. Rey immediately starts to call him _Haggis_ and asks for links to the playlists (showing no interest in Ben's salary). In response, she sends him soundtracks from _Space Wars_ , and Ben likes them even without a picture in front of his eyes.

They talk about everything in the world, and every day it’s becoming increasingly difficult to return to broker reports and articles on empty runs. In calligraphic handwriting, he writes the names on the plant plates on her windowsill. She gives him some aloe seedlings that should clear the influence of _Haggis_ out of the air.

Rey claims that coffee is not a substitute for food, and they begin to dine together via Zoom. Sometimes she sends him his portions by a quadcopter (only in gloves and a mask), and he orders delivery to her apartment from his favorite restaurant, _Takodana_. Then, making time in the evenings, they watch movies together. They begin with _The Phantom of the Opera_ at her request and go on with _Les Miserables_ at his. Both of them cannot hold back tears at the ends but realize they’re not shy about it. Seeing his face on the phone screen, Rey feels that she is not alone. Ben likes how she always understands him right, even when he habitually hides his real feelings behind a mask of restraint. He doesn’t know his eyes betray him.

One day Ben notices tears on Rey's freckled cheeks. Clutching a cup of tea in her hands, she confesses it was her grandfather who arranged for her acquaintance to work, and although she dislikes it, she cannot force herself to quit. Too often, she was told that Rey Johnson was no one – just like her parents, drunkards, and that she should be grateful for what she has now. Her friend Rose believes that having a job is better than living on benefits, and Rey agrees with her. And still... She’s a good cook, she loves reading and knows everything about plants and more. And she refuses to believe it’s worth nothing.

Ben wants to touch her hand and hug her, and he is honest with her too. He confesses that his parents are Senator Leia Organa and famous racer Han Solo, and his uncle is Luke Skywalker, a well-known religious scholar. This whole time, he has been feeling obligated to meet the high standards of his family. He wanted to be a racer like his father, but an accident forced him to give up on this dream forever. A barely noticeable scar on his cheek is an eternal reminder of his failure. Now he’s trying his best to find his place in the business world and convince himself that work under the authority of Snoke, the head of a centuries-old financial conglomerate, is a blessing. This is what everyone expects from Ben Solo, the heir to the famous Skywalker family.

Rey wants to brush his hair from his face and run a hand over it. She tells him that just being Ben Solo was more than enough. That his family didn't determine his life. That old art collector Oma Tres whom Ben really admires might not be as powerful as Snoke but he might still need a financial advisor to help with his gallery. That he could stop pretending. That he could become free.

Ben says she didn't need a big name to mean something in this world. That she, Rey Johnson, was capable enough to find a good job and succeed, even if could take time. That Malla, the wife of their mutual acquaintance Chew Bacca, had a bakery with a flower shop attached to it, and once she had mentioned she needed help with promotion in social networks. Especially now, when there’s a lack of customers. That Rey could forget the past and become her own master.

Rey notes this reminds her of _Space Wars_ , and Ben agrees with a laugh.

She is surprised at her own courage, but she fully believes in what she says.

“I love you, Ben Solo.”

He looks at her and realizes that so long as he’s with her, he’s on the right path.

“I love you, Rey Johnson.”

When quarantine ends, Rey’s apartment becomes empty. Her flowers appear on the windowsill by Ben's desk.

**Author's Note:**

> I was inspired by a series of amazing, beautiful, and pure AU fics about Reylo written by fans who carry their love for the characters through a galaxy far, far away to our world. Ben and Rey deserve a happy ending, no matter what universe they are in.


End file.
